It's official! 'Roseanne' is returning without Roseanne Barr and will focus on the Conners
After weeks of speculation and suspense, ABC has finally confirmed the fate of 'Roseanne.' ABC Network has officially picked up the reboot show, with the working title 'The Conners' "straight to series." It is expected to premiere this Fall.
The official statement from ABC read, '''The Conners' (working title), a spinoff of the groundbreaking family comedy 'Roseanne,' has been greenlit to series with an order of 10 episodes for fall 2018."
A premiere date is yet to be set, but it has been confirmed that it will have a Tuesday run from 8:00 - 8:30 pm and that the beloved Conners - John Goodman (Dan), Laurie Metcalf (Jackie), Sara Gilbert (Darlene), Lecy Goranson (Becky) and Michael Fishman (D.J.) will all be reprising their roles.
ABC has also confirmed in their statement that the original show's eponymous protagonist Roseanne Barr will have no "financial or creative involvement" in this project. Despite Roseanne's glaring absence, the show will remain the same in its heart and will show a loving and tightly-knit family wading through life in working-class America.
The Conners will grapple with "parenthood, dating, an unexpected pregnancy, financial pressures, aging and in-laws," but through it all - the fights, the coupon cutting, the hand-me-downs, the breakdowns – the family remains, promises ABC.
In a joint statement, the five returning cast members said, “We have received a tremendous amount of support from fans of our show, and it’s clear that these characters not only have a place in our hearts, but in the hearts and homes of our audience. We all came back last season because we wanted to tell stories about the challenges facing a working-class family today. We are so happy to have the opportunity to return with the cast and crew to continue to share those stories through love and laughter.”
It is quite heartwarming to see these actors, the show-runners and the network put their best foot forward, despite the ugliness that led to 'Roseanne's cancelation in the first place. Although many felt that Roseanne being fired after her racist rant against a former Obama aide was justified, everyone else associated with the show losing their jobs was unfortunate.
The fans have been rallying for their beloved show to make a comeback without Roseanne, and ABC has made it happen. We cannot wait to see The Conners back in action come this Fall!